I had a VERY slow leak in only one tyre, had to keep pumping in more air every 1000 miles and when I did, my MPG would go up quite noticeably than before.
While there are other factors involved and I'm by no means an expert, but I'd say your biggest culprit is the 17" rims, but I'm not an expert.
In a not so similar case with my car and my sisters car (both 1.6 MKII Focuses, both have the 116ps Ti-VCT engine, both are 2005 plated) My car can pull up hills fine in 5th where she'd have to drop to 3rd gear to go up the same hill. (Telegraph hill on the A380 towards Torquay is an example of the sort of hill I'm on about.)

Thanks for all your replies peeps, as for the quote I've quoted, I cant either, my Picanto was so easy judging distances as a flat backed rear car, also like I said previously, it was a narrow car and therefore judgement was made even easier because where the rear wheels were (right at the end, it was flat backed) meant bam, how close. Was really easy.
I am glad to see I'm not the only one with this problem in regards to the Focus though. I've consined the fact that the rear windscreen halfway up their front windscreen is close enough, even if there is a gap, wont risk it any closer and if my car could of fitted in that gap, I wouldnt bother.

Any help in helping me tight reverse in a focus? (parallel parking)
I often get my rear view up their windshield and think JEEZE I must be close but there is infact like a metre gap left! I really cant tell how close I am to the car behind so any tips would be fantastic! :)
I used to have a Kia Picanto, and I could tell exactly how close I was to the car in behind because its a narrow thin car with is rear wheels right at the back, all i had to do was see how close the wheels were, and every other car was wider so I could see that as well as judging the rear wheels. But I cant see to do this on the focus, the rear end is quite prominent, not to mention its a very wide car!
I've hit 2 cars in the past while tight reversing using this car, I've been avoiding tight parallel parking just because of this problem. If I could get any tips with this wide/big butt car, be fantastic as the road I live on is parallel parking only and struggle for parking space.
Need reference points help in side mirrors and references looking back.

I'm always worried over this, I have, admittedly hit 2 cars while reversing (I just cannot tell with the Focus how much room there is while reversing, it is so hard to tell, and I've not yet found a reference point (since all cars you're reversing into will have different shaped bonnet sizes etc) - But anyway on both occasions I was being honest, I got out of the car, and had a look on THEIR car for damage. On both occasions I could not see any damage (If there was I'd have left a note, thats how honest I am) But having seeing no damage, I drove off. But having owning a dashcam myself, I am weary these days incase someone has a cam in parked mode and then tries to threaten me for hitting their car, not all dashcams are "obvious" some are so tiny you cant see them.
Any help (i know off topic slightly but still) in helping me tight reverse in a focus, I often get my rear view up their windshield and think JEEZE I must be close but there is infact like a metre gap left! I really cant tell how close I am to the car behind so any tips would be fantastic! :)
I used to have a Kia Picanto, and I could tell exactly how close I was to the car in behind because its a narrow thin car with is rear wheels right at the back, all i had to do was see how close the wheels were, and every other car was wider so I could see that as well as judging the rear wheels. But I cant see to do this on the focus, the rear end is quite prominent, not to mention its a very wide car!

I never learned to drive on the motorway (obv), nor there are any grade separated junction dual carriageways in my area. So I never learned how to "merge" if you will, BUT I took my instructors heed AND the highway codes heed... which state, to MATCH traffic speed on the Motorway and find a slot to get on. Using this rule, I've never had a problem joining the motorway, I even shoulder check behind me as you are supposed to, since your mirrors wont show a damn thing as you approach to find any lorrys/cars in your way as you try to speed match and find a gap to merge into. I use the Motorway every day as per my commute for work and it is beggars belief even at 4am to see people joining the motorway at 35mph!
Edit: Reason I think no learners were allowed on the Motorway was yes the speed, but comparing that to a dualled A road, what IS the difference?? An extra lane in most cases, like wow!! Really? Honestly a GSJ A road is no different to a Motorway apart from an extra lane, which only requires a little more awareness. Or was it the last time the "test" was made standard, "Motorways" didnt exist?

There is a roundabout near me that has had its rules changed lately, it used to be left on roundabout lane left only, 2nd and 3rd lanes straight on. (3rd lane can turn right) everybody and their mums would jump straight into the 2nd and 3rd lanes ON the roundabout since it was a 3 lane roundabout but only 2 lanes on approach, and the "left lane" was hardly used.
However new rules are now in effect, 3rd lane is turning right only, the 1st lane is now for left AND straight on. 2nd lane on the roundabout is the same as before, but entry lane is different.
Its even signposted "NEW ROUNDABOUT RULES AHEAD" yet everyone still jumps into 2nd and 3rd lanes of the roundabout, causing near misses by those entering/exiting the roundabout.
Its slightly better now, as the locals have gotten used to it now, but you do still see people jumping into the 2nd lane on entry when its now the 1st lane and those jumping into the 2nd lane upon exit because they went into the 3rd lane on entry.
Anyway, I was taught left indicator for first exit, no indicator UNTIL pass first exit for 2nd exit. Right indicator until I pass the exit before I want to take then a left indicator for my exit if more than 2 exits.
The thing is, its not just indicators. You also get idiots staying on the outside taking the 3rd exit incorrectly using it. Left lane is left and straight on ONLY unless indicated. You'll get idiots in lane 2 going straight on, and idiots in lane 1 going towards 3rd exits.

With what the cars having inbuilt touch screen satnavs these days, I dont get the difference. The only difference I can see is that the police may potentially see you using a phone than the lower in car sat nav screens while driving... Both distract you, both should be banned. Why one rule for one and another rule for another? For example, you're not fined for using sat navs if its ONLY a sat nav... but using a mobile as one is a different story!!
Not to mention the current trend within car manufacturers now, all going more and more towards putting every control like air con etc via the touchscreen. Surely thats more dangerous, with real knobs you can keep your eyes on the road and feel for the knobs. Touch screen makes you take your eyes off the road. In 2019 a new Mercedes-Benz EQ is released, everything from opening doors to air con to cruise control will be all touch screen controlled, yet its NOT an autonomous vehicle, so you're taking your eyes OFF the road.
I always plan my routes the old way, maps before driving and then trying by memory, if I get lost so be it, just park up somewhere and look again to set you back on track. At least I have the option of knowing exactly where I am thanks to mobiles when looking up while I've lost my way, you all think it cant be done? We used to get along fine with paper road maps, even when lost without a mobile showing your current position!!

My local Morrisons is the only petrol station near me where this happens, I'll put 20 quid in, jiggle the hose EXCESSIVELY (I always do that at any pump to get any last drops) it'll say 20 quid TILL I place it in the holder and suddenly 20.01p

Nice rear bumper, but too low for my liking, he must have some sort of adjustable hydraulics on his suspension for this, it wont go over dropped kerbs let alone speed bumps. It even looks so low, that even the brake/accel inertia will scrape his bumpers along the road.

Awaiting on my other thread "super or normal" for a Ti-VCT I reported that Tesco Momentum made my car stutter/jerk when cold engine starting and trying to accelerate. (but fine when warm)
However that could be skewed because I had a new oil and air filter plugged in plus an oil change when I changed to Sainsburys Premium and it stopped. (Since they are the same price I could go back to Momentum but I dont want to risk ruining my engine further if Tescos was no good. I need to find out if other issues could be causing the stutter/jerkiness first really.)
Edit: I do get a much better fuel range on high octane though, my readings shot up to around 420 miles per tank than before using cheap fuels it used to say around 370-380 miles per tank.

Thanks everyone for all your replies, sorry wasnt back sooner, been on holiday.
Throughout my holiday, I solely ran the car on Tesco Momentum and my car HATES it. Did 3 fill ups on the stuff (Yes was driving all over the shop) Noticed that on a cold engine start, the car would hesitate and struggle/jerk when accelerating, but as soon as the engine warmed up it was fine. However noting that, I did get a lot of increased range out of the amount of fuel I put in (a full tank would read 420 miles as opposed to cheap fuel reading 380 miles) My MPG was 33.5.
However even with only just 2 fill ups with a local near enough Sainsburys that I found selling premium with what I believe is 97 octane instead of the 99 Tescos stuff, my car runs much better on cold starting, this stutter/jerk when trying to accelerate has stopped but mpg has dropped by as much as 0.1mpg I have heard that this is really BP ultimate because its Sainsburys and that they had a deal with BP?? If so, thats good because as per my previous posts, my local BP charges almost £1.40 p/l for ultimate.
On a side note, what would cause this stutter/jerkyness? BUT this could be a skewed result because I've just had the car in for service where they changed the oi/, oil filter and the air filter.

Not looking to hijack this thread or anything (sorry ChrisPembs in advance) but since its a related topic regarding power using the 12v socket, and I thought better not to create a new one and being a little drunk/worse for wear, plus I'm sure this question has been asked many times before, but like ChrisPembs my dashcam also never shuts down when I turn off the ignition. Infact it'll stay on all night if left plugged in. The little display on the dash will cut out after 5 mins of locking the car though.

Hmm thats actually quite interesting, I do on the odd occasion get the random "washer fluid low" light popping up and displaying on the dash, its never bothered me as I regularly use the washer to wipe my windscreens and I'm always buying 6x2ltr bottles of water anyway, just thought the light came on because of washer use and therefore it being low. I never thought it would/could be a leak and that it would contribute to water into the spark plug bays in the slightest. I'll have to get it looked into now, thanks.